1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transportation vehicles and more particularly to methods of testing brakes therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
An important part of operating a transportation vehicle such as a truck, is the regular checking of the pneumatic or hydraulic brakes. Under Ontario Regulation 575 of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, the operator of a commercial Motor Vehicle shall inspect the Commercial Motor Vehicle before the vehicle's first trip of the day. Under Schedule 1, item II, the vehicle operator must inspect the brake adjustment and brake system for leaks. On Nov. 1, 1996, under the Trade Qualification and Apprentice Act, a regulation was passed that vehicle operators must be certified to adjust the brakes on the vehicle they are operating. For a vehicle operator to check his brake adjustment on an pneumatic brake system, he must have the air pressure between 90 and 100 psi with the engine off and make a full brake application. The vehicle operator then must either measure the brake push rod travel or look at his preset brake indicators on each wheel and the brakes must be applied while doing this.
The only effective way for a vehicle operator to test the brake system is to keep the brake pedal in an operative position, that is one which pressurizes an hydraulic brake system to check for oil leaks, for example. In a pneumatic system, the brake pedal, in its operative position, releases the pressure in the brake system, which means that the brake cylinders should be in their fully engaged position, which again is best seen, at least for a periodic check, by walking around the vehicle and looking at the exterior features of the brake assemblies at each wheel.
However, without another person to engage the brake for the vehicle operator, there is no effective means by which the vehicle operator can check the brakes while having the brake pedal in its operative position.
Not surprisingly, under the North American Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, the largest percentage of problems with Commercial Vehicles reported during road checks is the correct adjustment of the brakes. It would be desirable, therefore, that the vehicle operator be provided with an effective tool to maintain the brake pedal in an operative position, in a manner that allows the vehicle operator to leave the cab of the vehicle to check the brakes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved technique for testing the brakes of a vehicle.